In tandem with the exhibition, HSFF is hosting two broom-making workshops in July. The first will be held on Monday, July 15, and the second will be on Saturday, July 20. More information can be found in the workshop description below. Tickets are available at historicsantafe.org/broom-room-2024.

This show is the result of collecting, finding, and making over the past year. I continually delight in finding interesting and discarded objects and discovering new ways to create brooms and brushes. Everyday use and functionality are always in my mind, but this show is also an opportunity to experiment with abstract ideas and challenge my creativity and traditional confines to create new, unexpected broom structures. My goal is to capture and preserve the feeling of the original use of an object while creating something entirely new. I’m inspired and honored to have my studio here in El Zaguán– I feel lucky to be a part of this ongoing history and community.

— Julia Tait Dickenson

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

On Monday, July 15, and Saturday, July 20, Julia Tait Dickenson of Thin Air Goods will lead a workshop guiding participants through creating two simple brush styles. The workshop will include a tour of Julia’s El Zaguán studio, a short gallery Q&A, and a hands-on brush-making class. Participants will learn, make, and take home two simple tampico brush structures: a mini broom involving wrapping & stitching and a local cholla paintbrush. No experience is necessary. Workshop tickets are $75 and include materials.

ARTIST BIO

Julia Tait Dickenson arrived in Santa Fe in 1985 with a degree in studio arts and ceramics. Here she discovered a passion for jewelry and metal smithing, ultimately opening her own jewelry business Thin Air Studio. In 1995 Julia moved to Vermont where she raised her family and continued her jewelry work. After 25 years, she is back on Canyon Road at El Zaguán. During her 35 years as a maker, Julia’s studio space has evolved to reflect her various creative endeavors: jewelry, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, and now brooms and brushes. She is continually inspired by the history and craftsmanship across cultures. Now as Thin Air Goods, Julia brings beauty and soul into objects intended for everyday use.

Contact Education Programs & Publications Manager Hanna Churchwell at hanna@historicsantafe.org or call 505.983.2567 for more information, to arrange an interview with the artist, and for unique promotional images.